Unibody Thermal Protection Mitts

ABSTRACT

A thermal protector is provided for reducing the risk of burns associated with the handling of hot objects. The device has an elongated body with a pair of mitt style hand pockets disposed at opposing ends. The mitts protect a wearer&#39;s hands while the elongated body acts as a barrier between a hot object and the skin of a wearer&#39;s forearms. Disposed within the hand-shaped pockets are multi-chambered hidden pockets. These pockets have lengthwise chambers adapted to hold pens, kitchen utensils, and the like. When the device is not in use, it may be folded in half and hung by a handle. In the stowed position, the multi-chambered pockets are upright, enabling insertion and retention of objects.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/869,439 filed on Aug. 23, 2013, entitled “Connectible Multi-PurposeThermally Resistant Mitts.” The above identified patent application isherein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuityof disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to thermal protection devices for kitchenuse. More specifically, it relates to a pair of oven mitts designed toprotect a wearer's hands and forearms with a durable heat resistantcovering. The device has a unibody construction that can be folded forstorage. Bakers, potters, and any other person who regularly exposestheir arms to heated materials will appreciate the protection providedby the invention.

Ever since man learned to wield fire, people have been inadvertentlyburning their skin on heated objects. Objects such as rocks, bricks, andmetals are all capable of maintaining substantial thermal energy withoutstructural decomposition. For this reason, these materials are idealcooking substrates. The material is heated in a fire, with thermalcoils, or the like, and then radiates thermal energy into thesurrounding air. Things placed upon or within proximity to the heatedmaterial will begin to cook. This includes any exposed skin that touchesthe heated materials. Though still employing this same concept, cookingtechnology evolved from simple campfire to elaborate oven and kilnstructures. Reaching a hand or arm inside an oven is certainly saferthan reaching one's hand into a burning fire, but the materials insidean oven are still capable of leaving serious burns if they contactexposed skin.

Methods of protecting the hands and arms from exposure to hot materialshave evolved alongside cooking technologies. Early attempts at handprotection were rudimentary, and involved the wrapping of cloth orleather around the hands prior to lifting a hot item. But, loose ragsand leathers are prone to slipping, and can leave the user's skinexposed at the most inconvenient of times. Gloves were made to addressthis problem. Over time the gloves became more intricate until thequilted padding gloves of today were developed. These gloves are largemittens made from multiple layers of heat resistant material quiltedtogether. Oven mitts may also be made from silicon, which provides alightweight thermal protector that can be molded into a variety ofshapes.

The problem with available oven mitts is that they only protect thewearer's hands and fingers. The tender skin of the inner forearm is notcovered when a person wears standard mitt style thermal protectors.Whenever a person reaches into a hot stove the forearms can contactheated materials and become damaged. A thermal protector device isneeded that covers the hands, fingers, and forearms of a user to preventburns. The present invention has a unibody construction that covers awearer's hands, fingers, and inner arms when in use.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to thermalprotectors for the hands. These include devices that have been patentedand published in patent application publications. These devicesgenerally relate to individual mitt style thermal protectors. Thefollowing is a list of devices deemed most relevant to the presentdisclosure, which are herein described for the purposes of highlightingand differentiating the unique aspects of the present invention, andfurther highlighting the drawbacks existing in the prior art.

The concept of a double oven mitt, or two connected oven mitts, wasdescribed in Simonoff, U.S. Pat. No. 4,085,464. This device includes anelongated wall having hand shaped portions at opposing ends. Acorresponding hand shaped portion is secured to the upper side edges ofthe opposing ends to form two hand shaped pockets. The pockets receivethe wearer's right and left hand when in use. During wear, the elongatedportion of the double oven mitt covers the interior forearms of theuser, thereby protecting the skin from exposure to intense heat. Thoughthis device is similar to the present invention, it does not havepockets disposed within the hand shaped end portions, for storing pens,notepads, and other loose objects.

Double oven mitts have been disclosed with a variety of fingerconfigurations. Collins, U.S. Design Pat. No. D527,493 shows an exampledesign for a double oven mitt with glove style end portions. Conversely,Holcomb, U.S. Pat. No. 1,464,529 teaches a double oven mitt with nofinger receiving areas. The end portions of the Holcom invention aresemi-ovular pockets adapted to cover a user's entire hand. Unlike thepresent invention, these devices do not disclose interior pocketsdisposed within the hand portions of the device. The pockets of thepresent invention facilitate storage of loose kitchen items, and theCollins and Holcom devices are not adapted for this task.

These prior art devices have several known drawbacks. They do notprovide any storage or organizational structures. The present inventionaddresses the need for storing small kitchen items by including interiorpockets within the hand portions of the mitts. It substantially divergesin design elements from the prior art and consequently it is clear thatthere is a need in the art for an improvement to existing thermalprotective devices. In this regard the instant invention substantiallyfulfills these needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types ofthermal protective devices now present in the prior art, the presentinvention provides a new arm protector and storage pocket wherein thesame can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when liftinghot objects out of an oven.

The present invention protects the arms, hands, and fingers of wearerslifting heated objects. The device has an elongated body with handshaped end portions, and two corresponding hand shaped upper portionssecured to the hand shaped ends of the body to form two mitts atopposing ends of the body. These mitts are sized to receive the hand ofa user and are designed with a thumb protrusion that is partiallyseparated from the rest of the mitt to receive and retain the thumb ofthe wearer.

In the center of the body is disposed a hook. This hook enables easystorage of the device via hanging. The device is folded in half suchthat the hook protrudes upwardly, and then removably secured to aconvenient hanging location. While the device is stowed, miscellaneousitems may be placed within interior pockets disposed within the mitts.Pockets may be pen pockets, or general-purpose pockets. Items such aspens, notepads, measuring tape, and meat thermometers may be storedwithin the pockets. In this way the device reduces kitchen clutter andplaces baking items in a central location.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved thermal protector device that has all of the advantages of theprior art and none of the disadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a thermalprotection device that covers a user's hands, fingers, and forearms.Wearers of the device are able to lift hot objects without fear thattheir arms will come into contact with the heated object.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a thermalprotection device that has pockets for convenient storage of kitchenitems.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a thermalprotector that includes a hook to enable easy storage of the device whennot in use.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a devicethat may be readily fabricated from materials that permit relativeeconomy and are commensurate with durability.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of this invention will beparticularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and mannerin which it may be made and used may be better understood after a reviewof the following description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the device in use. The wearer islifting a large pot from the oven and the device covers all areas of thearm that would normally come into contact with the pot.

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the thermal protector in a stowed state.Kitchen implements are stored within the interior pocket and protrudeupward therefrom.

FIG. 3 shows an overhead view of the thermal protector laid out on asurface and in use as a potholder.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the thermal protector folded in halfto expose both the front and rear portions of the ends.

FIG. 5 shows a cross-section view of an end portion of the oven mitt.The interior pocket is shown disposed within the mitt portion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like referencenumerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similarelements of the thermal protector device. For the purposes of presentinga brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferredembodiment will be discussed as used for protecting the hands andforearms of a person lifting hot objects. The figures are intended forrepresentative purposes only and should not be considered to be limitingin any respect.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown an overhead view of the thermalprotector over mitts in use. The wearer's hands are inserted into handshaped pockets on the left 130 and right side of the thermal protector100. The hand-shaped pockets are connected to the front surface 111 ofthe device body 110. The body is a unitary length serving as a backingupon which the pockets are secured. The body extends the entire lengthof the device and represents the primary structure. When the wearergrasps a hot object, the body of the thermal protector provides abarrier between the interior of the user's forearm and the hot object.In this manner, the device facilitates the pickup and maneuvering of hotobjects with minimal risk of the object burning the wearer.

The thermal protector is shown in a stowed state in FIG. 2. A handle 150is secured to the device body 110 at a bisecting point along the bodylength. The handle protrudes outward from the front surface of the body,enabling easy securement to a hook 200. When the body is folded in halfwith the front surface exposed, the handle can be secured to a hook,doorknob, or other suitable protrusion. As shown in the figure, thestowed device hands downward from a hook when not in use.

A storage pocket 140 is disposed within the hand-shaped pockets on bothsides of the device. This pocket is a multi-chambered pocket formed bymaterial secured to the front face of the device body. In a preferredembodiment the storage pocket is a set of chambers aligned in parallelwith the device body. When the thermal protector is in a stowed state,objects such as kitchen implements 210, pens, and thermometers may beplaced within the chambers of the pockets. Thus the device provides aconvenient storage means for commonly used kitchen items.

The device's thermal protection properties make it ideal for use as amulti-object potholder. Shown in FIG. 3 is a perspective view of thethermal protector in use as a potholder. The device 100 is laid out inan extended configuration on a tabletop. A plurality of warm dishes 220is placed upon the upper or lower surface of the device body. Items mayalso be placed upon the hand-shaped pocket portions. Using the device asa barrier between a temperature sensitive surface and multiple hot itemsreduces the need for multiple potholders.

Turning now to FIG. 4, there is shown a perspective view of the thermalprotector folded in half. The elongated body 110 forms the base of thedevice. It has a front surface 111 and a rear surface 112, which may bemade of the same material. Alternatively the rear surface may be ananti-slip material such as rubber or silicon, or any other flexiblematerial having a high coefficient of friction. In the illustratedembodiment the hand-shaped pockets 120 (130 disposed on opposing side ofbody) are only present on the front surface of the elongated body. Thisprovides a flat rear surface that is advantageous when using the deviceas a potholder.

Referring finally to FIG. 5, there is shown an overhead view of theelongated device 100. Opposing ends of the device body 110 have agenerally hand-shaped structure 120, 130. The ends of the body areconvexly rounded to correspond with placement of a wearer's forefingers.On one side of the end portion a section of the body protrudes outwardat an angle of approximately forty-five degrees from the end. Thisprotruding portion 121, 131 corresponds to the placement of a wearer'sthumb. To form the hand-shaped pocket, a second portion of materialcorresponding in shape to the hand-shaped portion of the body, issecured along its perimeter to the perimeter of the body hand-shapedportion. An inner edge is left unsecured to provide an access point tothe interior of the pocket formed between the body and the secondmaterial portion. In a preferred embodiment, the unsecured edgecorresponds to an area extending entirely across the front surface ofthe body, wherein the edge is the edge proximal to the handle 150. Theinterior of the pocket may be lined with a soft material for comfortduring use.

In an alternative embodiment, a second layer of material is secured tothe back surface hand-shaped portion perimeter, rather than just thefront surface. In this embodiment, there is a hand-shaped pocket on boththe front and rear surfaces of the ends of the elongated device body.This embodiment increases versatility of use and provides additionallayers of thermal insulation.

Hidden pockets having a plurality of individual chambers are disposedwithin the hand-shaped pockets. The ends of the pockets proximal to theends of the device body are secured to the front surface of the devicebody, while the edge of the pocket proximal to the handle is left open.As shown in FIG. 2 above, the device can be used to hold kitchen items,via placement of items within the chambered pockets.

The specific material construction of the device may vary. It mayconsist entirely of multiple fabric layers quilted together, entirely ofthermally protective silicon, or a combination thereof.

The present invention is a thermal protector for the hands and forearmsof a user. The device has two mitt-shaped portions attached via a singleelongated body. In use, the wearer places hands and fingers within thehand-shaped pockets and adjusts his or her arms to correspond inposition to the elongated body. In this way the elongated body providesprotection to the affected skin. Unlike previous double oven mitts, thepresent invention provides multi-chambered storage pockets that aredesigned to contain pens, kitchen implements, and other small items.This addition increases the function and utility of the device andprovides additional benefits to a user.

It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown anddescribed in what is considered to be the most practical and preferredembodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be madewithin the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications willoccur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the abovedescription then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensionalrelationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations insize, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assemblyand use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in theart, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in thedrawings and described in the specification are intended to beencompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications andchanges will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operationshown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of theinvention.

I claim: 1) A thermal protective device for protecting the hands,fingers, and forearms of a wearer from exposure to hot objects,comprising: an elongated body having a front and rear surface, and afirst and second end, wherein said first and second ends have a convexlyrounded outer edge and a protruding portion; said protruding portionsextending approximately forty-five degrees outward from said outer edge,such that said protruding portions result in said end portions having anoverall hand-shape; a handle secured to and bisecting said elongatedbody; a set of hand-shaped portions of material secured to said frontsurface of said elongated body along said perimeter of said end portionsand said protruding portions, wherein edges of said hand-shaped portionsof material proximal to said handle are unsecured, thereby creatinghand-shaped pockets at opposing ends of said elongated body;multi-chambered hidden pockets disposed within said hand-shaped pockets.2) The device of claim 1, further comprising: a second set ofhand-shaped portions of material is secured to said rear surface of saiddevice body end portions and protruding portions such that a second pairof hand-shaped pockets is disposed along said rear surface of saidelongated body. 3) The device of claim 1, wherein an edge of saidmulti-chambered pockets distal from said handle is secured to saidelongated body and an edge proximal to said handle is unsecured. 4) Thedevice of claim 1, wherein said multi-chambered pockets are secured tosaid front surface of said elongated body. 5) The device of claim 1,wherein said hand-shaped pockets are lined with another layer ofmaterial, which is soft to the touch. 6) The device of claim 1, whereinsaid rear surface is a different material than said front surface. 7)The device of claim 1, wherein said handle is designed to removablysecure with a hook or other protrusion when the device is stowed. 8) Thedevice of claim 1, wherein said handle is attached to said front surfaceof said elongated body.